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Chocolate Cake for Easter
The most indulgent chocolate cake to grace my table is this one that I made in collaboration with the Central England Co-Operative. Unlike most chocolate cakes, it’s not dry as it has evaporated milk in the recipe. It’s slathered in a rich and creamy chocolate ganache and is decorated with rather a lot of chocolate mini eggs along with some decadent praline animals.
It’s certainly not a cake you’d make every week, but for special occasions and a little indulgent treat, this is the cake sure to be a hit with any chocolate lover.
All of my ingredients were sourced from my local Co-Operative, and where possible, FairTrade ingredients were used.
Cake:
300g Self raising flour
340g Caster sugar
40g Cocoa
150g Butter (room temp)
3 Large eggs
110g Evaporated Milk
80g Water
5ml Vanilla extract
Ganache:
200g Dark chocolate
100g Milk chocolate
250ml Double cream
Decoration:
Cadbury Mini eggs (my cake took 9 bags)
Box of Co-Operative Spring praline chocolates
1. Heat the oven to 180℃.
2. Grease and line two 20cm/8″ cake tins.
3. In a large bowl place all the cake ingredients.
4. Mix together for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
5. Divide equally between the two cake tins.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out into a wire rack to cool completely.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, now is the time to get your ganache ready.
8. In a saucepan, break the chocolate into squares and add the cream.
9. Heat very gently until the chocolate has melted, stirring frequently.
10. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl, then set aside to cool and set.
11. When the cakes are cold and the ganache has set, use ¼ of the ganache to sandwich the cakes together.
12. Place the cakes onto a serving plate and use the other ¾ of the ganache to thickly coat the sides and top of the cake. Don’t worry about it being perfectly smooth and pretty as you’re going to decorate the sides and top with lots and lots of mini eggs.
13. Starting at the bottom, place a row of mini eggs all around the cake, adding extra layers until you either run out of mini eggs, or you’ve covered the sides completely.
14. Decorate the top of the cakes with the spring praline chocolates.
You won’t want a large slice of this cake unless you’re a raving chocoholic with the sweetest tooth known to man, so this cake will certainly go a very, very long way indeed! You could even (perish the thought!) share it with friends and neighbours, as I did!
Happy Easter, enjoy my recipe xx
I was sent a voucher from the Central England Co-Operative to buy ingredients with which to create a recipe for them.
Aldi Wines
Thanks to Aldi’s PR company, I was recently sent a box of wines and beers to review. The box included:
Grapevine Tempranillo Ganache Rosé fron Spain.
Toro Loco (‘Crazy Bull’) red from the Tempranillo grapes.
Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere from Chile.
Freeman’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Bavaria Beer from Holland.
Having now turned 18, my son was able to help review the drinks this time and poured himself one of the well chilled bottles of the Bavaria Beer, whilst pouring the other bottle for his dad. They both enjoyed the drink while sitting in the garden on a sunny Saturday afternoon. My husband says it’s got a lovely clean and fresh hoppy taste which he’d certainly go out and buy more of ready for warmer days to come! Hopefully we’ll we haven’t quite seen the last of those days and may get a couple more before the season is out!
I went for a glass from the chilled bottle of Rosé. A perfect drink for a lady, don’t you think? So cool, calm and collected and such a pretty colour too!! It’s a crisp, clean tasting wine that’s light and fruity on flavouring. A thoroughly refreshing glass of wine, in my opinion.
The red Toro Loco is a full bodied, fruity red with loads of body. Perfect to enjoy with a meal or just on its’ own. Totally enjoyed by himself as he’s my red wine drinker in this house. A glass, poured and savoured whilst chilling listening to music is his idea of a relaxing end to the working day.
Cheers! Here’s to opening the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Sauvingnon Blanc.
The wines and beers were sent to me free of charge by the PR company representing Aldi. I was not under any obligation to review the products sent to me, favourably or otherwise. All opinions are those of my husband and myself.
Chocolate Cake
Everyone loves chocolate cake, don’t they? This is rich and indulgent without being overpowering & claggy on the mouth; real treat!
225g Stork margarine
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
5ml vanilla extract
200g self raising flour
2.5ml baking powder
2.5ml bi-carbonate of soda
30g cocoa
30ml milk
100g dark chocolate
GANACHE
200g dark chocolate
100g milk chocolate
250ml double cream
DECORATION
Chocolate fingers
Maltesers
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Grease & line 2 x 20cm/8″ round tins
Grease & line 2 x 20cm/8″ round tins
1. Cream the margarine & sugar until light & fluffy.
2. Add beaten eggs & vanilla gradually. (Add 1tbs of your measured flour if its’s starting to curdle).
3. Add flour, baking powder, bi-carbonate of soda, cocoa & milk. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add melted chocolate & mix well.
5. Divide equally between the two greased & lined 20cm/8″ round pans.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
2. Add beaten eggs & vanilla gradually. (Add 1tbs of your measured flour if its’s starting to curdle).
3. Add flour, baking powder, bi-carbonate of soda, cocoa & milk. Mix thoroughly.
4. Add melted chocolate & mix well.
5. Divide equally between the two greased & lined 20cm/8″ round pans.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes.
8. Turn onto a wire cooling rack until cold.
9. Finely chop the dark & milk chocolate.
10. Add to a saucepan with the cream.
11. Heat gently until melted & smooth.
12. Transfer to a cold bowl & leave to chill until firm.
13. Sandwich the cakes with 1/3 ganache.
14. Spread the remaining 2/3 around the edges & over the top of the cake.
15. Decorate with chocolate fingers vertically around the outside & Maltesers in concentric circles around the top.
16. Say goodbye to the diet and enjoy a slice (or two!)
8. Turn onto a wire cooling rack until cold.
9. Finely chop the dark & milk chocolate.
10. Add to a saucepan with the cream.
11. Heat gently until melted & smooth.
12. Transfer to a cold bowl & leave to chill until firm.
13. Sandwich the cakes with 1/3 ganache.
14. Spread the remaining 2/3 around the edges & over the top of the cake.
15. Decorate with chocolate fingers vertically around the outside & Maltesers in concentric circles around the top.
16. Say goodbye to the diet and enjoy a slice (or two!)
